Ji Jianxue!
Ji Jianxue was the child of the first wife, Nan Shuang, and Ji Shisu. She was also the eldest granddaughter of the Ji Mansion.
However, the child was born in poor health. Coupled with the fact that her mother, Nan Shuang, didn't care about her at all, she was raised in a Buddhist temple since childhood. Her sense of presence was so low that only the old people in the Ji Mansion knew about the existence of this eldest granddaughter, and hardly anyone would mention her.
In the Ji Mansion, apart from this almost forgotten eldest granddaughter, there was really no one else who could take on this great responsibility.
"Sigh, it's really the work of fate. Mumian, send someone to invite Jianxue back."
Mumian nodded and agreed. After the whole morning's commotion, the old matriarch was already exhausted. She just told everyone to go back to their rooms and left the Buddhist hall first.
Zhaoming Temple
"Miss, what do these people want to do?"
Caixue angrily threw the changed clothes she had just carried back onto the bed and shouted at the top of her voice so that everyone could hear.
Zhao Luoning looked at this maid with a bigger temper than her own with a smile and pulled her to sit down.
"Caixue, the Buddhist hall is a place of tranquility."
Caixue rolled her eyes, got up and opened the window, deliberately shouting at the people guarding outside.
"They're keeping us here like prisoners. How can we be tranquil?"
The people outside still stood upright, didn't answer, and showed no reaction at all, as if they were stone sculptures.
"Miss, where did the second master find these people? I've beaten them and scolded them, but they just don't show any reaction."
It turned out that not long after Zhao Luoning moved in, Ji Shisu sent people to guard Zhaoming Temple. He claimed it was to protect Zhao Luoning, but everyone knew clearly that he was afraid that Zhao Luoning would run away and was just sending people to watch her.
"All right, just let them be. Just think of them as an extra tail."
Caixue pouted. The resentment in her heart couldn't be resolved with just a few words.
"If I didn't know you, Miss, I'd really suspect that you've become a Buddhist nun."
Zhao Luoning had long been used to Caixue's outspokenness. After all, Caixue was still young, and she didn't want to argue with her.
"Don't worry."
Saying that, Zhao Luoning stood up, thinking of taking Caixue out for a stroll to prevent her from overthinking.
As soon as she opened the door, the two "door gods" standing at the door blocked Zhao Luoning's way.
"Second young mistress, where are you going?"
Caixue was already burning with anger. She shouted at the two of them and even spat all over their faces.
"Miss and I are going to the toilet. Are you going to follow us too?"
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the two of them remained calm.
"We'll wait for the second young mistress at the toilet door."
Caixue immediately had an urge to stuff the two of them into the latrine. No, these two people must have come from there. Otherwise, how could they be so stinky and stubborn!
"All right, Caixue."
Since Caixue even mentioned the matter of going to the toilet, Zhao Luoning was really afraid that if she didn't stop her, this little girl would say something even more excessive. So she stopped her and then said to the two people in front of her,
"Two elder brothers, I'm going to the Feiquan Waterfall to discuss Buddhist doctrines with Abbot Kongliao. You two can follow. The view there is wide open, and there's no way I can escape. So please stand a bit farther away."
The two of them had long known that this second young mistress was much gentler than her maid. After being stunned for a while, they nodded, indicating their agreement.
The four of them came to the Feiquan Waterfall and saw Abbot Kongliao sitting in meditation facing the waterfall.
This was really a good place!
The Feiquan Waterfall was right next to Zhaoming Temple. But to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Feiquan Waterfall, one had to enter the backyard of Zhaoming Temple.
Before she married into the Ji family, Zhao Luoning would spare a few days every month to come up the mountain to stay. Firstly, this place was away from the worldly strife and was really the best place to rest both physically and mentally.
Secondly, it was because of this never - boring Feiquan Waterfall.
The Feiquan Waterfall cascaded down from the top of the mountain, just like a white silk ribbon left behind by a fairy, fluttering down between the rocks. When it hit the rocks, it scattered like flying flowers and broken jade all over the mountain stream, like smoke, like mist, like dust. It even shrouded the entire Zhaoming Temple in a thin layer of water mist.
For this reason, the legend that Zhaoming Temple was protected by immortal energy was born at the right time.
Zhao Luoning didn't know that there were also two people standing behind her while she was admiring the waterfall.
Ji Shisu had also rushed over with Yu Chi.
Yu Chi was about to step forward to call Zhao Luoning, but was stopped by Ji Shisu.
Recently, he didn't know what was wrong with him. He thought everyone looked like the woman he met that night.
He thought so of Ning Ruonian, and now he also thought so of Zhao Luoning.
Moreover, he even thought that Zhao Luoning standing in front of the waterfall at this moment was more like that woman than Ning Ruonian!
Not only that, he even thought that Zhao Luoning and Ning Ruonian were similar in some aspects.
Especially with Zhao Luoning's current attire, a white dress and a veil covering her face, looking ethereal and out of this world.
How could these people who seemed to have nothing to do with each other be alike!
He thought that he must be going crazy.
The footsteps of Zhao Luoning and her entourage were already very light, but they were still heard by the vigilant Abbot Kongliao.
"Benefactor Zhao."
Zhao Luoning smiled sheepishly and sat down on a stone bench.
"I'm guilty for disturbing the master's meditation."
Abbot Kongliao stood up, walked up to Zhao Luoning, sat down opposite her, and brewed a pot of tea for the two of them.
"Have you encountered any烦心事 recently?"
"Really, there's nothing that can be hidden from you, Abbot. But they're just trivial matters not worth mentioning. Don't trouble yourself, Abbot."
At Zhao Luoning's request, the two people who followed stood far away. Caixue was also sitting on a stone pier playing with water. The sound of the waterfall falling into the clear pool just covered the sound of their conversation.
This was really a good opportunity for a conversation.
"Benefactor Zhao, you're the most insightful person I've ever met. If you can really let go of everything, you can be as happy as her."
Abbot Kongliao directed Zhao Luoning's gaze towards Caixue.
She looked at Caixue who was playing with water, with that bright smile from the bottom of her heart.
How long ago had she forgotten such a smile?
Five years, ten years, or even longer?!
People always said that "the legitimate child suppresses the concubine - born child". But why was it different in the Zhao family?
Zhao Luoning often thought that if her mother had been a bit stronger and more independent, things wouldn't have developed to this point.
She had known almost since she was sensible that what she had to protect was not only herself, but also her mother, younger sister, and even her honest elder brother.
She was outstanding not because of her natural talent. Behind all the halos that surrounded her were the unknown hardships day after day and year after year.
To keep the Zhao family's silk shop, she knocked on door after door. She wore out several pairs of shoes before she negotiated the merger.
To develop the Zhao family's tea house, she tasted pot after pot of tea. Her tongue became numb from drinking so much tea before she decided on the king of tea.
To save the Zhao family's pharmacy, she tried herb after herb. Her health was greatly damaged from trying so many herbs before she found the cheap and effective herbs.
...
There were some things that even Caixue didn't know. She never mentioned them in front of anyone. But at this moment, the past events flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern.
Yes, she couldn't let go. She couldn't let go of her mother and elder brother, couldn't let go of Luo Yu's death, and even couldn't let go of that unbearable past.
On the other side, Ji Shisu also listened to their conversation carefully.
He suddenly realized.
It seemed that Zhao Luoning really didn't have much happy time.
Most of the time, she was cold and indifferent, as if nothing had anything to do with her.
Ji Shisu remembered the past events that Zhao Luoning had told him. His eyes looking at Zhao Luoning were full of pity.
She had carried so much. She was already tired enough.
Now he still used a deal to force her to stay in the Ji family, a place that made her even unhappier.
Was it right or wrong?